Horchata runs through my veins. For those who have never heard of horchata, it is a drink made from white rice and cinnamon, with other ingredients sometimes added depending on what part of the world you drink it. Since I have been drinking horchata since I was little, as both a Californian living right next to the border and as a proud Latina, I know quite a bit about what makes a great horchata.
Horchata may not be a coffee that keeps you caffeinated or the legendary matcha, but they are usually cheaper than both. Not all horchatas are made equally, though. From sweetness to the feelings it gives you, the perfect horchata should be refreshing and sweet.
Aguas Frescas Street Vendor: 4/10
Manhattan Street Markets (Locations vary)
Courtesy of @tlaxcalita_aguas_frescas
I stumbled across the vendor selling aguas frescas on my long walk to a Broadway show because I refuse to take the subway to anywhere closer than 25 blocks. Even though I see this vendor at any street fair, this time they were between 35th and 36th St by Bryant Park. The horchata was more watery than it should be and was not very creamy. It had a strange aftertaste that led me to believe the only making it sweet was stevia instead of cinnamon and vanilla like horchata is meant to be sweetened with. They also pulled a Starbucks move and filled the cup with way too much ice so the horchata was gone with 4 sips. It wasn’t too pricey, at $4.00, which is pretty standard for a horchata. It may not have been the best horchata I ever had, but it satisfied my horchata craving on the go.
El Toro Mexican Grill: 6.5/10
69 New St, New York, NY 10004
Courtesy of Junhua Chen
I was on a mission to try another horchata spot after I got off work in the Financial District, and even though trying to find this modest shop felt like navigating a maze, the horchata was pretty good. The staff were super friendly which made my horchata experience that much better. It was sweet, but watered down more than I would like. Unlike the other horchatas on this list, it had plenty of cinnamon, maybe even too much. There were small chunks of cinnamon in the horchata that were a flashback to the 2000s cinnamon challenge. The horchata wasn’t bad, but it’s nothing to brag about either.
La Esquina: 7/10
114 Kenmare St, New York, NY 10012
Courtesy of @esquinanyc
A short trek from campus, La Esquina has a soothing ambiance and colorful atmosphere. Their horchata was unlike anything I’ve had before. The consistency of the horchata was a lot thicker than any I’ve had in the past. There was plenty of cinnamon and creaminess, but the thickness was just strange. I suppose the thickness added to the horchata’s authenticity and was thick because of the rice remnants if the drink was blended. The place is a sit-down restaurant with the horchata paired very well with a delectable tres leches cake. Overall, I would say even though it was different, it was still a tasty horchata, just not what I would usually expect when I order a horchata.
La Taq: 7.5/10
70 Seventh Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217
Courtesy of Yulissa C.
The second I walked in I could smell that mouth-watering Mexican food and was instantly taken back to the scent of home. I tried their horchata pretty early in the morning, and it was just the right thing to have with your breakfast– or even pour a bit of into your coffee. Right next door is a cozy bakery that has plenty of pastries to pair with your horchata if you aren’t in the mood for tacos at eleven in the morning. The horchata was less sweet and more creamy, like most horchatas I’ve had at home. It wasn’t too watered down, still had that silky aftertaste, and had a good ice ratio. Admittedly, it isn’t that close to campus, although it is an adventurous walk if you are by Tandon. You can take the Q line to get a taste of their horchata and smell the absolutely amazing other dishes at La Taq.
2. Miti Miti Modern Mexican: 8/10
138 Fifth Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217
Courtesy of Fabiola F.
When you walk in the restaurant has as many colors as a piñata and has a certain energy to it. Service was great, I was seated quickly and I was in and out super fast despite it technically being a sit-down restaurant. The horchata itself was really creamy and extremely thick. It was the version of horchata where they added less water and more rice, which is more similar to the authentic version of horchata. It was sweet but not too sweet, although it could have definitely used a bit more cinnamon, especially for $5.00 without tax. Even though the cinnamon was a little lacking, it was plenty flavorful and deserves its spot on this list.
1. Los Tacos No. 1: 9/10
340 Lafayette St, New York, NY, 10012 (Among other locations)
Courtesy of Alessa Alluin
Besides having phenomenal horchata, they are also the closest to campus and their tacos aren’t bad coming from a Californian and Latina. Stepping into Los Tacos No.1 felt like walking into a good old-fashioned taco shop. They have locations all over the city and I anticipate the horchata is just as good at all their locations. The horchata was the right amount of sweet and creamy, not overdone on either, and was a perfect post-midterm drink. It did have a bit of an aftertaste that was powdery, yet smooth, though I suppose that is what all horchata has. At $4.50 it seems a bit much for a medium-sized horchata, but since it tasted so fantastic, I guess it’s fine. I can affirm that the horchata from Los Tacos No.1 is by far the best I’ve had in New York so far and is as good as anything I’ve had back home. It reminded me of the horchata the vendors would have at my school’s Dia de los Muertos celebration.
Whether the horchata I tried was the greatest drink I’ve ever tasted or was not worth the trip, I had fun traveling to different places in the city. Now I know where to go back to when I am in a horchata mood or if I want some tacos to go with them.
Comments